MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The talks are scheduled to begin in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad next week. The new effort at reaching a peace deal comes after the Taliban made significant gains in several Afghan provinces.
Afghanistan’s TOLOnews television network cited several former Taliban commanders who expressed doubt that all of the Taliban groups in Afghanistan would send their delegates to the talks.
"I don't think that representatives from all Taliban factions will attend the talks, the reason is that the Taliban has split into various factions and even some of them have come out against Pakistan," a former Taliban commander, identified by the network as Mullah Abdul Salam Raketi, said.
The Islamist militant group split up after the death of its long-time leader Mullah Omar. Talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government began in Pakistan last July but were suspended over the news that the elusive Taliban leader died back in 2013.
